How are testers selected!

I think there are quite a few of us who were surprised that we weren't chosen for the F & F uniform test and the Pampers who needed 1000 testers. They wanted 100 testers and there didn't seem to be that many applied from the postings.Could you explain how it works please, maybe they didn't use the 100 or 1000 in the end! Thanks, from one of several confused MNtrs x

By the posts on here it seems the f&f uniform one is a product test that has had winners chuffed, and not-lucky-this-timers disappointed.

Please please please can we have more school uniform opportunities? I would LOVE to have a few new school trousers, the next size polo shirts and some socks that were actually white not grey for dc to go back to school with.

For some if us it really boosts our family economy.... I was able to buy a clothes horse and some posh cleaning products with one of the vouchers I got, which I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise, and they have made a real difference to me.

I am, like others, really grateful for the freebies and the vouchers. Thank you thank you thank you, lovely mumsnet, for setting these things up for us.

sleepy - the thread usually specifies if you need to have children or not and the survey questions would ask for the relevant information, so if it doesn't say you need children, then you can apply.....

Is it pointless to apply for those of us who don't have children? I obvs wouldn't apply for things like pampers but things like food, etc where it doesn't specify that you must have children. Or is it pretty much always a prerequisite for the sponsors that they only want people with children to test?

Velvet....let's just say not millions but certainly quite a few. Know I am being a bit cagey but we don't know who else is reading this do we?? I guess we have more folks applying for stuff each times but equally have more tests so lots of opportunities for testing! Our bit of MN is very busy with lots of chances to win/ take part every week.

Thanks maggietess.. Please do keep applying as, as I said, a lot of it is luck, and, as they say, you've got to be in it to win it!

There was a thread like this a couple of months ago that left me a little downhearted when I saw that some people seemed to get picked for ability everything - the lists of products some people had tested was immense. I've only ever had 2 and I'd assumed it was cus I didn't live in the right place or wasn't the right age that the companies wanted to hear from so I'd nearly been put off having applied for so many and only getting he little ones. But I'm a bit more heartened hearing you try and spread it round a bit. I've got the pampers on my lo at the mo and about to post feedback. Btw I'm not sure about calling people who don't post lots on MN lurkers - it's not like Facebook where people are just being nosey, I use MN lots for advice, support, product reviews but don't necessarily post tonnes. I do post when I've got something different to add to the discussion but not if someone has already said what I think. I don't think that makes me less of a mumsnetter than someone who posts every day, we just use the site differently.

Just out of interest Ann, how many people usually apply for each product test?

Say if an average test requires 100 Mumsnetters, would you normally get 150 applicants? 500? 1000? Half a million?

And has the number of applicants increased over the years? 3 or 4 years ago I seemed to get picked for at least 50% of tests I applied for, now I never get picked! My demographic hasn't changed, just wondered if the tests are more popular now?

Ah. So if I've always used the same MN handle (not changed) but have used 2 different email addresses interchangeably, according to what AnnMumsnet says does that mean I'm being penalised? I never get picked for anything either despite being a regular poster and at one point putting my name down for EVERYTHING. I've not done lately - was getting v disheartened

Absolutely. But it's misrepresentative to then say "95% of munsnetters think..." Someone who signs up purely for product tests isn't a mumsnetter. If they're going to trade on the name then it's not on to pick people who followed a link from moneysupermarket.

No one has a 'right' to a product test surely.... Up to the company to pick who they want if they are giving stuff away.... If they want to pick people new to the site thats their choice. <shrugs> Just down to good or bad luck at the end of the day. Either you're what they want or not.